Straw stacker



(No Model.) 4SheetsSheet 1.

G. E.'WILSON. STRAW STAGKER. No. 536,054. Patented Mar. 19, 1895.

a l i W' ess esr i (Np Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

- G. 'E..WILSON.

STRAW STAGKER.

Patented Mar. 19', 1895.

I51: NORRIS FEYERS co. wcroumon WASHIN (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

G. E; WILSON. STRAW STAGKER.

No. 536,054. Patenfed Mar. 19, 1895.

lllllPt-l llllll lllllllllllil 1 III" 1 NORRIS PETERS ca, wnmu'mm. WASNINGTON u a (NoModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 G. E. WILSON. STRAW STAGKBR.

Patented Mar. 19, 1895.

e Janka/01?- NIT'ED STATES GEORGE E. WILSON, OF STILTLWATER, MINNESOTA.

PATENT OFFICE.

ST RAW-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,054, dated March 19, 1895. Application filed August 16, 1894. Serial No. 520,464- (No model.)

To ,wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. WILsON, acitizen of the United States, residing at Stillwater, in the county of Washington and State. of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Stackers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the straw-stacking mechanisms which are constructed separately from the thrashers and are mounted on independent vehicle supports.

The invention has several objects. One is to so arrange and form the parts that the machine can be made less heavy and complicated than are those which have been heretofore used. Another is to provide a peculiarly constructed lock for the clutch which regulates the movements of the parts that cause the horizontal vibrating of the carrier; and there are other objects aimed at which will be fully understood from the description below, in connection with the drawings.

Figure l is aside elevation of the stacking mechanism embodying my improvements, the carrier being shown as elevated. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the carrier lowered. Fig. 3 is a view from the inside of one of the elevatingsheaves and the parts adjacent to it. Fig. 4 is a section on the line w-oaFig. 3. Figs. 4, and 4 show modifications to the rope groove. Fig. 5 shows a means of fastening for the track bar. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the oscillating platform and of a portion of the vehicle frame. Fig. 7 is a section on the line y-y. Fig. is a top view of some of the parts looking downward from a plane above that from which Fig. 6 is taken. Figs. 9 to 18 show in detail the parts for moving and locking the clutch. Fig. 19 is a face view of the same when assembled. Fig. 20 is a plan view of the same in connection with the clutch and the clutch lever. Figs. 21 to 27 inclusive show successive positions of the severalparts of the clutch and its shifting and locking mechanism. 4

In the drawings, A, represents a platform or main frame as a whole. It is mounted upon a vehicle indicated by B, supported upon wheels, and which can be of any suitable form so-that the machine can be transported. readily from place to place with the thrasher.

The platform or main frame A,.is shown as comprising the sills A, and the cross girts A From these parts there depend hanger brack ets d, which are cast integral with or secured to a toothed ring D. This ring constitutes an enlarged journal around the axis of which the platform can vibrate or oscillate, it being held in bearings formed of curved and flanged bars 0, O, which are bolted to the vehicle frame B, this frame having side sills B, B, and cross girts B B B B In many of the mechanisms of this sort as heretofore constructed, use has been made of anti-friction wheels or rollers, but owing to the unsteadiness resulting therefrom much trouble has been experienced with them, and I have devised the form of mounting herein shown, namely, the ring D, with a horizontal flange d, in conj unction with the flange and curved brackets O, to obviate much trouble.

The ring and platform have imparted to them reciprocating rotary movements by the following devices.

E, reprerents a shaft mounted transversely in the vehicle frame B, ithaving a belt pulley E, for receiving power. It carries a worm e, for actuating the devices which vibrate the carrier, and also carries a beveled wheel G, for driving the carrier belt, said wheel meshing with the pinion G on the lower end of shaft G The latteris mounted in the bracket stand g, and carries at its upper end a sprocket wheel g. The worm e, engages with 'a worm wheel F, on shaftf, which is mounted on the vehicle frame longitudinally of the machine. It supports two loose beveled pinions H, and H, each meshing with a beveled 5 wheel I. This wheel is secured to a vertical shaft I, mounted in the bracket bar 2'. At its upper end there isa pinion J, which meshes with the teeth of the cogged ring D; and. it will be seen that the ring and the platform [00 will be turned in one direction or the other according as the beveled piuions H, and H, are in engagement with the power devices. These pinions have square clutch faces, 72),

and with them alternately the double clutch member K, feathered on shaft It, is adapted to engage. The clutch teeth have square faces as at h, h, fora purpose to be described. The clutch member is shifted by the lever K, which is pivoted at 70, to a supporting bar 10 Preferably this lever is of a bell crank shape, and as it vibrates it throws the clutch member K, from one beveled wheel to the other.

It is desirable to prevent any accidental displacement of the clutch when the machine is in operation, and to accomplish this I combine with the parts above described a positively acting lock adapted to resist for a certain period of time any inward movement of the clutch member K, whether caused by the back pressure from the beveled wheel upon the clutch or by jolts, vibrations or sudden movements of the machine.

The shipping lever K, has its outer end passed through a lock lever L. The latter is pivoted at l, to a plate N, which is secured to the cross girt B of the vehicle frame, said plate preferably having an outwardly projecting lug, see Figs. 14. and 15, to serve as a pilot. Lever L is locked in one or the other of two positions by means of dogs or latches M, M, each of which is pivoted at m, to the aforesaid plate N. The dogs have teeth m, m respectively adapted to engage with the teeth Z, Z on the upper end of the lever L, and are also formed with cam-like edges m 0 indicates a tripping plate or bar, the lower end of which is also pivotally connected to the outer end It, of the shipping lever. It has a curvilinear slot 0, through which projects the stud Z, that serves as aforesaid as the pivot for the lever L, whereby the plate or bar 0, is allowed limited movement independent of the lever, and yet can be moved therewith because of both being supported on the end 717', of lever K. This bar or plate 0, is further provided with inwardly projecting lugs o, 0 which are so situated that they can at proper times impinge upon the camlike edges at m, of the latches or dogs M, M, and also can impinge upon the upper end of the lever L.

0 isa finger or arm projecting inward from the upper end of the trip-plate O.

P, is a swinging weight which is supported" from a pivot at p, at the upper end of the swinging plate 0.

Q, indicates the support for the other part of the trip, it being preferably formed of a segment bar secured to the oscillating platform concentric with the central verticalshaft G and carrying adjustable trip pins q, adapted to be inserted into one or another of a series of apertures at q. Varying the position of these pins varies the are through which the stacking mechanism is vibrated horizontally. The above described projectionor arm on the trip plate 0, lies in the path of these trip pins q.

The operation of the above described parts will be readily understood. When the machine is in operation and the shaft 6, is rotating, the pinion J, will be revolved by the worm e, worm wheel F, shaftf, clutch K, and wheel H, or H; and said pinion J, will in turn rotate the ring D, and platform A. Now, if the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 21 and 22, wheel H, will be engaged with clutch K, and shaft f, and the parts will be rotated in such direction that the ring will be turned in the direction of the arrow 1, in Figs. 21 and The ring will continue moving in this direction until the trip pin q, strikes the arm 0 (See Fig. 21.) After these parts contact, the trip plate 0, is caused to swing on its pivot from the position shown in Fig. 21, to that shown in Fig. 23, and then to those in Figs. 25 and 26. During the swinging the lug o impinges upon cam edge m of latch or dog M, and as a result the teeth "m are lifted out of engagement with teeth 1 This frees the lever L, from the positive look, but it will not be moved quite yet although the plate 0, still swings to the left under pressure of pin q, and as soon as it has moved beyond the line of the center of gravity the weight P, begins to carry it down. As soon as the weight has reached the upper end of lever L, and the end of the slot 0, has reached the stud Z, the lever L, will be rocked upon said stud l, and the lower end of the lever L, and plate 0, will be moved tothe right, which latter movement disengages clutch member K, from wheel H; and the weight of the part P, now draws the clutch toward the wheel H; but an instantaneous engagement of the clutchand wheel is not effected because of the square ends or faces of the teeth at h, h' that is to say, the vibrating or oscillating of the straw carrier is temporarily stopped at each end of its throw, the result being that the stack is piled up square or flat on top and slanting or inclined ends are avoided; but as the weight P, is still exerting its pressure on the lever L, and plate 0, the clutch K, will engage with wheel H, as soon as the partial rotation of the clutch has brought its teeth into line with the recesses in the wheel, as will be readily understood by comparing Figs. 22, 24 and 27. When the lever L, is in the central or vertical position shown in Fig. 25, the clutch member K, will be in the neutral position shown in Fig. 24. \Vhen the parts at L, O, and P, are in the position shown in Fig. 26, the clutch member will be situated as indicated in Fig. 27, and at this time the dog M, will be in positive engagement with the lever L, and the clutch member will be held rigidly to wheel H, and will be so held until the second pin q comes into contact with the arm 0 of plate 0.

The instant that the clutch member engages with the wheel 11 the pinion J, will be reversed, and the ring B, will revolve in the opposite direction, and continue so revolving until the plate 0, and the lever L, have been thrown into the positions shown in Fig. 21.

The trip mechanism comprises as its essential parts the plate or bar 0 and the pin or pins q, the other above described devices combined-with these acting to govern or regulate the tripping action with respect to the clutch.

It will be seen that I obviate entirely the use of springs, that I provide a positive lock, that I insure a temporary stoppage of the stacker at the ends of its horizontal movements, and that I carry the clutch firmly and promptly from one of the reversing wheels to the other.

The sprocket wheel g, is connected with the sprocket wheel G on a vertical shaft 9 which carries the beveled wheel 9 meshing with wheel 9 This wheel 9 is on a shaft R, which is supported from the platform and carries a sprocket wheel R, connected to the driving shaft R of the straw carrier by chain 0". The carrier frame is indicated by S, and is made in two sections 5, s, hinged together at 5 Theendless carrier itself may be made in any suitable way, and is mounted on sprocket shafts at the ends. It is desirable to have the carrier frameas light as possible without decreasing its strength, and I have simplified the construction and have made the frame lighter but without decreasing its strength because of the use of the truss rod T, connected to an? supported upon the truss brackets at t, t t p U, U, indicate uprights which'are rigidly secured to the platform or main frame at one end, and V, V, are links or hinged uprights pivoted to the front end and also pivoted to the forward end of the carrier frame.

As iswell known, it is desirable to impart to the carrier frame not only a vertical swinging motion of its front end but also a forward motion as it swings upward so that its upper end shall always be in the same vertical lines. To accomplish this, various mechanisms have been devised or suggested. In some, use has been made of four or more pivoted links connected to the rear, together'with a cam track on the under side of the carrier frame and rollers and a rising and falling roller shaft adapted to be drawn up and down by a rope. In others use has been made of peculiarly curved bars fastened to the platform, and with traveling wheels or rollers secured to the carrier frame and arranged to be moved up and down on said track. In still another class of these machines, use has been made of curved brackets or track bars secured to the carrier frame, and rising and falling, rollers and cross shafts, together with screwthreaded rods engaging with nuts connected with the wheels and cross shaft. I have simplified all of this part of the machine, and while retaining the requisite strength, have provided for the several movements by using fewer and lighter elements of construction. I em ploy only two Wheels or rollers which serve both as sheaves for the ropes and also as anti-friction supports for the carrier frame, they being shown at W, W, and being secured stationarily to the upper ends of the uprights U. Over these pass the two ropes X, X, which are each connected at one end to the carrier frame and at the other end to the winding mechanism on the platform. The latter may be of any preferred sort. As shown it consists of a shaft X, mounted on the front uprights U, and provided with drums or rope wheels 00, and the worm wheel or, with which engages the worm m rotated by crank m The ropes after passing over the pulleys W, W, are secured to the track bars Y, and are fastened to the carrier frame. The bars are peculiar in shape and arrangement. At their front or upper ends each has a part y, approximating straight lines, and at the lower end a convex or curved partas at y. A portion of these track bars is extended above the carrier frame so that the latter can be lowered readily (see Fig. 2) and yet maintain its bearing uponoragainst the anti-friction rollers. Owing to the peculiar shape and arrangement of these track bars Y, the outer end of the carrier will be first swung up around the shaft R as a practically station- .ary pivot, this continuing so long as the straight parts y, of the bars Y, are incontact with the roller W; but as soon as the convex or curved parts y, reach the rollers, the above described compound movement of the carrier frame is caused, that is to say, its outer end continues to rise, but at the same time it is thrown forward. The rope is secured at g to the track bars; and in order to prevent the bars of the wheel W, from slipping or moving laterally relatively to each other, I form grooves in the one or the other or both, as shown at 3 y, Figs. 3 and 4, and the ropes can seat themselves in said grooves, acting as locks to prevent any lateral slipping, and at the same time permitting the bars to ride freely on the wheels or rollers. Some of the purposes of the construction, however, can be attained if the track bar Y, the antifriction wheel W, and the rope X, are modified in their construction with respect to the groove, as is shown in Figs. P, and 4*.

I am aware of the fact that use has heretofore been made of a curvilinear track bar secured to the bed or platform in conjunction with an annular brace frame projecting downward from the carrier frame, with shifting wheel or rollers mounted upon the carrier frame, and adapted to be drawn up and down upon the curvilinear bars; but there are a number of objections incident to this construction, which are obviated when use is made of one like that which I have devised. In order to get the desired positions of the carrier frame at the different elevations it is necessary with the earlier constructions to have a dropping or depending frame or support to carry the anti-friction wheels, and in other respects the mechanism is made more complicated than that herein, which upon examination of the drawings will be seen to be reduced to. the utmost simplicity. The wheels being stationary and ITO the rope being connected to the curved bars insures a firmness of connection for the latter and an accuracy in the support for the carrier.

In Figs, 1, 2 and 8, it will be seen that the frame bars or supports A, A of the oscillating platform are so secured to the toothed ring that the vertical center of the frame shall be behind the axis of said ring, this construction being preferably in the larger and longer stackers rather than that shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the frame A, A in the latter being concentric with the ring D.

When the upper frame is thrown backward in relation to the axis, there is less liability for the machine to tip or turn over when the carrier is in operation and is swung away from the central longitudinal line of the vehicle.

Vhat I claim is- 1. In a straw stacker, the combination with a horizontal vibratable platform, of the longitudinally movable and vertically vibratable carrier frame supported at the rear upon vibratable links, the curved guiding bars, and the fixed rollers which support the front part of the carrier frame, substantially as set forth.

2. In a straw stacker, the combination with the carrier frame and the links at the rear thereof, one upon each side, of the bars Y rigidly secured to and rising and falling with the carrier frame, which have the rear convex portion and the forward straight portion, and the stationary rollers for supporting said track bars, substantially as set forth.

3. In astraw stacker, the combination of the vibrating platform, the front uprights rigidly secured thereto, the rear vibratable links, the carrier frame pivoted to said links, supporting rollers secured stationarily to the front rigid uprights, and the bars Y secured to the carrier frame and the rear part depending below it, said bars being shaped substantially as set forth whereby as the carrier frame rises, the outer end swings upward and then swings both forward and upward, as described.

4. In a straw stacker, the combination with the vibratable platform, and the vertically moving carrier frame, of the bars Y, the ropes having their ends fixed in relation to the carrier frame, and the fixed rollers connected to the platform, substantially as set forth.

5. In astraw stacker, the combination of the horizontally vibrating platform, the rollers secured to said platform, the vertically vibrating carrier frame resting directly upon said rollers, the ropes passing over said rollers and having their ends fixed in relation to the carrier frame, substantially as described.

6. In a straw stacker, the combination of the vibrating platform, the supporting rollers secured stationarily thereto, the vertically vibrating carrier frame resting directly upon said rollers, the ropes passing over the said rollers and means for engaging laterally with the ropes to prevent the carrier frame from moving laterally in relation to the rollers, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the horizontal vibrating platform A having links V pivoted thereto, the rigid uprights U, the carrier frame pivotally connected to linksV, the bars Y secured to the carrier frame, rollers W interposed between the bars and the uprights U, the ropes passing over said rollers W and seated in grooves in the bars Y, substantially as set forth.

8. .In astraw stacker the combination of the vibrating platform A, the links V, the uprights U, the rollers W secured to said uprights, the carrier frame S, the curved bars Y secured to the carrier frame and resting directly upon said rollers, and means for moving said carrier frame bodily forward and back, relatively to the rollers, substantially as described.

9. In a straw stacker, the combination with the platform, the means for oscillating it, and the reversing mechanism, of a lever connected with the reversing mechanism, a positively acting lock for said lever, the trip plate actuated by the platform for opening the lock, and the weight for moving the reversing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

10. In a straw stacker, the combination of the carrier frame, the vibrating platform which supports it, means for turning said platform alternately in opposite directions around its axis, a reversing mechanism, and a lock for said reversing mechanism having a lever L, the dogs, the trip plate and the weight, substantially as set forth.

ll. In a straw stacker, the combination of the carrier frame, the vibrating platform which supports it, mechanism for moving said platform around its axis in opposite directions alternately, the reversing mechanism, a lever engaging with said reversing mechanism, a positively acting dog or catch for said lever, and the trip plate adapted to move a limited distance independently of said lever and also to move simultaneously therewith for throwing the reversing mechanism, substantially as set forth.

12. In a straw stacker, the combination of the carrier frame, the horizontally vibrating platform which supports it, means for alternately moving the platform axially in opposite directions, the reversing mechanism, the look lever L engaging with said reversing mechanism, the positively acting catch for said lever, the trip bar or plate 0 adapted to release the lock and to move the lever L, and the weight engaging with said plate 0, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination with the reversing mechanism of a straw stacker, of the lever L, the tooth dogs M M engaging with the lever, the plate 0 having the slot 0 whereby it is adapted independently of the lever L, and carrying means engaging with the dogs M Mand with lever L, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination with the reversing mechanism of a straw stacker, of the lock 1ever L, pivoted at land pivotally connected to In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. WILSON.

WVitnesses:

H. O. FOGLE, E. D. BUFFINGTON. 

